The 10 Best Budget Planners 2020 Reviews

Is this the year that you’ll finally make a budget and stick to it?

If that’s your goal, then you need to find the best budget planner notebook.

With dozens of options from which to choose, we knew that we had a hard task ahead of us. However, we also know how critical it is for financial well-being to get on top of a budget.

Here are the results of our comprehensive review of dozens of budget planners. These are the best of the best.

Read on to learn more.

List of 10 Best Budget Planners on the Market:

1. Clever Fox Budget Planner

Overview

This attractive budget planner comes in a range of cover colors including aquamarine, teal, wine red, hot pink, gold and emerald as well as more understated choices like black, dark grey and dark blue.

This means that you can choose the cover that really inspires you to create your budget and finally figure out where your money is going.

However, what’s on the inside is what’s really important, and that’s what makes this selection one of the best planners for budgeting. For each month, you’ll find layouts that help you to set goals as well as track income and expenses. A small calendar helps you to keep track of paydays and due dates.

Each month also has a monthly budget page where you can keep track of what you expect to spend and what you actually spend.

Another layout is an expense tracker that will help you actually track where your money goes. Each month is followed by a budget review layout where you can reflect on how things went and how you’ll improve next month.

Each Clever Fox Budget Planner begins with several pages of goal-setting exercises so that you can strategize your plan and figure out exactly why it is that you want to take control of your money.

This A5-size book is convenient for carrying around and is equipped with a sturdy inner pocket for holding receipts and other small items. It comes with 340 stickers so that you can personalize your journey, a pen loop so that you always have a writing instrument and an elastic closure for security.

What Consumers Are Saying

Many people sing the praises of this useful and visually appealing budget planner, saying that it has helped them to meet some financial goals. Nonetheless, a few people wish that the monthly calendar were bigger.

Bottom Line

If you want to get your budget on track, then get the Clever Fox Budget Planner.

2. Clever Fox Budget Planner & Monthly Bill Organizer With Pockets

Overview

Measuring eight inches by nine-and-a-half inches, this budget journal is spiral bound so that you can be sure that it always lies flat and conveniently open. The larger size makes it less portable than other options, but it does give you more room to write.

You can choose a cover color that ranges from sedate to soothing to vibrant. A quick-start guide helps you to begin on the right foot, and the colorful layouts are a nice touch in a type of planner that tends to be more reserved.

The heavier, 120 gsm paper is unlikely to allow ink to bleed through and feels great under the hand.

At the front of the planner are pages for goal setting and planning so that you can strategize your journey. Then, there are several pages and one pocket for each month of the year.

After the monthly layouts, there are pages for tracking savings and debts, holiday savings and an annual summary.

Each layout gives you extra room to write down things like your monthly goals and tracking income and savings. A calendar provides space to monitor due dates while a monthly budget allows you to project how much you’ll spend and record what you actually spent.

What Consumers Are Saying

Including colorful stickers and numerous debt trackers, many people love this budget planner. However, some people are disappointed that there is no bookmark.

Bottom Line

This sturdy and attractive budget planner may inspire you to take charge of your budget.

3. GoGirl Budget Planner

Overview

This compact budget and finance planner is exactly what you need if you want a book that you can take everywhere.

Each month, you’ll have space to write down your financial goals and set reminders for upcoming purchases and expenses. You can even track your day-to-day spending each month.

At the end of each month, you’ll have layouts where you can reflect on what worked and what needs to change to do even better next month.

Featuring a PU leather hardcover, an accordion pocket for bills and receipts, a pen loop and an elastic closure, this planner has many convenient characteristics. The pearl white, 120 gsm paper is thick and elegant.

What Consumers Are Saying

People like having some stickers and two bookmarks for their budget planner as well as a quick start manual. Others wish that monthly calendars were included.

Bottom Line

Compact and sophisticated, some people will definitely be inspired by this budget planner.

4. Erin Condren Designer Petite Planner – Financial Planner/Budget Planner

Overview

Erin Condren products have a reputation for being chic and well-made. This cheap budget planner does not disappoint.

It’s designed for the person who needs minimal help fine-tuning their budget. Notice that it’s called a “Petite Planner,” which means that you’re not going to find a lot of robust tools and guidance here.

However, this is still a useful budget planner. It’s small, so you can take it with you wherever you go if you’re concerned about keeping your budget at the forefront of your mind.

Despite being so small, you’ll find layouts for all 12 months. A handy two-page savings tracker lets you set a goal for each month and record how you deposited as well as your total savings.

The two-page monthly spreads are fairly generic, allowing you to tailor them to fit your needs. A few prompts help you to plan for things like upcoming purchases and bills while also giving you spaces to write down detailed income and expense records so that you can see precisely where your money goes each month.

The debt tracker is a nice touch for those credit cards and loans that you are determined to pay down or pay off.

In the back of the book are an envelope and some colorful stickers.

What Consumers Are Saying

Many people appreciate the design and layout of this book. Others are disappointed by the string binding, questioning its durability.

Bottom Line

Stylish and compact, this may be the budget planner to take with you wherever you go.

5. Legend Budget Planner – Deluxe Financial Planner Organizer & Budget Book

Overview

This goal-oriented budget planner will help many people to finally figure out their finances. Inside the covers, you’ll find places to write down your monthly goals, upon which you build to meet your annual goals. This is a nice element of looking ahead that many people forget in the bustle of an ordinary month.

Each monthly layout asks you to identify your most important goals and provides a sizable calendar on which you may track income and bill due dates. Income and savings trackers also are included.

There’s even a blank Monthly Budget layout that lets you specify your expenses, how much is budgeted for each and how much you actually spent.

This budget planner is a good choice for some longer range goal setting as it has layouts for projecting your age and your financial goals for each decade or span of years.

What Consumers Are Saying

Most people who use this planner appreciate being able to reflect on their monthly accomplishments, and they like having no pre-set categories. Nonetheless, critics wish that there was more space for tracking debt.

Bottom Line

Attractive and well-designed, this budget planner may be just what you need to take control of your finances.

6. Mead Organizher Expense Tracker

Overview

This relatively inexpensive budget planner comes in a convenient eight-and-a-half by eleven-inch size and is bound by three rings. These features make it ideal for desktop use.

The purple poly cover is attractive and sturdy, well able to stand up to one year of use, and the three rings are reinforced by a fabric gusset to help protect the book and its contents.

One of the nicest features of this planner is that it’s possible to download additional budgeting pages so that you can easily expand it to meet your needs. With current and future year dates, you’ll be equipped for longer range planning as well.

This budget planner is an excellent choice for those who are looking for a great deal of flexibility. Each month features an envelope for receipts and bills, a checklist and an expense tracker. There’s also a blank lined page and a calendar so you can even create your own layouts.

With an elastic closure, this book also is prepared to go on the road with you.

What Consumers Are Saying

Users love this planner for helping them to keep on top of their finances. They also like having one place to keep all financial-related items. Critics tended not to like the binder rings, which seem cheap.

Bottom Line

Smart and economical, this budget planner can get you on track.

7. Boxclever Press Budget Planner

Overview

The chic cover of this book will appeal to many people, but it’s what’s inside that makes this the best budget planner book for beginners.

The sturdy hardcover and twin-wire binding make this a durable choice. It even has a ribbon bookmark.

A convenient bill tracker features all months on one page where you can monitor how much you spend in each major category in a linear layout.

Each month has layouts with spaces that include Income, Savings and Budgeting. The layouts are mostly blank to provide you with the ultimate in flexibility. Day-to-day spending journals, monthly spend totals and monthly reflection pages help to keep you on track.

Special sections for holiday and vacation budgeting also are included so that you can plan for extra expenses.

What Consumers Are Saying

Many people recommend this budget planner to others because of its useful layouts. Others would like to see more space on the bill tracker.

Bottom Line

Well-thought-out and attractive, this budget planner will inspire plenty of people.

8. Lamare Monthly & Weekly Budget Planner Organizer – Financial Budgeting Book & Expense Tracker

Overview

This minimalist budget book planner uses some really creative techniques to help inspire you toward paying off debt and building your savings.

Of particular note are the savings goals layouts. They use a cute Mason jar motif where you can track your progress. The facing page has four circles, each with “Monthly Saving” in the center. This allows you to keep track of several savings goals at once.

Full-page monthly calendars with a notes section are ideal for tracking income and bill due dates as well as writing down anything else to be aware of for the month.

There’s a spending summary for each month and a monthly budget overview that is mostly blank so that you can use it any way you wish.

What Consumers Are Saying

Because it is simple, practical and inexpensive, many people praise this budget planner. However, some people wish that it was a bit bigger.

Bottom Line

If you are looking for something simple yet innovative, then this budget planner is for you.

9. Zicoto Beautiful Monthly Budget Planner With Cute Stickers

Overview

This 12-month budget organizer is designed to help the user develop smart financial habits.

Including 97 stickers, this book also comes with monthly tabs that you have to affix yourself. Inside the hardcover you’ll find tools for planning your income and savings for each month.

There also is a section for tracking your daily expenses, which can be extremely helpful if you’re looking to cut back on those small, routine costs.

A savings tracker lets you specify what you’re saving for, how much you need and a deadline. This is a fantastic resource as it also features a space for you to track the date, deposit amount and total balance. It’s a wonderful visual representation.

A similar debt tracker makes it easier for you to pay off those bills that you want gone for good.

The month in review layouts are helpful for reflecting on how things are going and improvements that you’d like to make.

What Consumers Are Saying

People praise this budget planner for being easy to use and thoughtfully designed. However, the smaller than A5-size was a little too small for some users.

Bottom Line

Those who are determined to save and pay down debt will love the resources in this book.

10. Paper Junkie Money Budget Planner

Overview

With a touch of whimsy on its cover, this small pocket-sized budget planner appears really friendly and approachable, which may be just what you need to finally tackle your finances.

Thanks to its size, you’ll easily be able to take it with you. With the binding, it may be more at home on your desk. Still, you do have some flexibility.

The 24 inner pockets are really useful for storing bills and receipts while the twin wire binding is pretty sturdy. It would be nice if the cardstock cover were at least as sturdy, especially if you plan to take this with you when you go to work or elsewhere.

Still, this budget planner has nice debt payoff trackers and a payment checklist so that you can be certain that you don’t miss any bills. Budget category pages have spaces for date, balance and comments so that you can keep track of your journey.

Really simple and straightforward, this book is designed for the person who doesn’t need or want a lot of guidance. It’s pretty flexible, and the many envelopes are really useful for corralling all of the paperwork that goes with budgeting.

What Consumers Are Saying

Many people especially remark upon the color-in debt payment trackers. These give them a real sense of accomplishment. Others feel that there just aren’t enough pages.

Bottom Line

When you don’t need a lot of guidance, this may be the perfect budget planner.

Factors to Consider When When Buying a Budget Planner

Choosing the best monthly budget planner really comes down to personal choice. That’s why we’ve presented such a range of options here. However, there definitely are some central questions that you’ll need to answer before you choose the right budget planner for you.

Design

It may not seem like the most important consideration, but the appearance of your budget planner matters. The more stylish and attractive it is, the more pleasure you’ll get out of reaching for it each day.

This means that you’re more likely to actually set some financial goals and keep working toward them. After all, that’s the reason why you bought a budget planner in the first place, right?

Pre-dated or undated

It’s also worth thinking about whether to get a pre-dated or undated planner. Pre-dated planners mean that you put in a little less prep work, but it also may mean that you have to wait until January to start.

An undated budget planner requires more prep but lets you start, stop and start again whenever you want to.

Worksheets and trackers

Take a careful look at all of the worksheets and trackers that are included before making a choice. Do you have major debts that you want to pay off? Maybe you’re more concerned with building a cushion of savings. Perhaps you’re just absolutely confused by where the heck your money goes each month.

Your precise needs

Some budget planners place an emphasis on eliminating debt while others are focused on helping you save. Others are intended to help you finally identify where your money is going so that you can take control of it.

There are even budget planners that help you to manage all of these tasks in one book.

Accordingly, before you buy, it makes sense to consider exactly why you want a budget planner. Doing so will mean that you make a better choice that is more tailored to your precise needs.

Prompts and categories

Give some thought to how much the various planners provide prompts and categories. If pre-set categories are included, how well do they fit your actual bills?

It may make sense to go with a more-or-less blank budget book that lets you fill in all of the categories yourself if you don’t find a pre-printed option that works for you.

Size

Many people also swear by choosing the right size of budget planner. Will your planner have a permanent home on your desk at home or do you need to carry it with you? Your need for portability may significantly influence your decision.

Making the Decision

Around here, we love the Clever Fox Budget Planner & Monthly Bill Organizer with Pockets. The larger format is ideal for people who have larger handwriting or just want more room to make notes. It’s super-sturdy, features high-quality paper and plenty of useful goal-setting tools. With a quick-start guide, it’s exactly what beginners need to make a comprehensive plan for their financial future.

If you’re looking for a more minimalist and economical budget planner, then we suggest the Lamare Monthly & Weekly Budget Planner Organizer. It features innovative layouts and just enough prompts to get you moving in the right direction with a minimum of fuss.